8/12/08

Urban Gardening: An Oasis In The Middle Of D.C.

As we journeyed to D.C., I tried to prepare our children for their first Big City Adventure.

I had spent a lot of time in D.C. when I worked in New York, and, with fun memories of Adams Morgan in mind, described the HUGE buildings, the PEOPLE, the bustle, the restaurants, the museums, the zoo!

We crossed the Memorial Bridge, and the "ooh-ing" and "ahh-ing" began. We slid down Rock Creek Parkway, past the Kennedy Center, and onto Connecticut. They took it all in: the joggers, cafes full of brunch crowds reading their newspapers or laughing, groups in the park practicing karate, playing volleyball! Look at those city children- for them, their "every day" is this!

At this point a chorus of "Momma, I want to live HERE!" erupted from the back seat, and honestly... I agreed!

Wow, what would we do with our friends first?!? Walk a few blocks amidst the crowds? Head over to a favorite restaurant where I would happily surprise them by picking up the check? (My friend D. always sneaks the check & pays- it's an ongoing battle.) Visit a museum? The Mall? The Lincoln Memorial where Marian Anderson proudly sang?

Little did I know we would be spending the day in a quiet, lush secret garden in the middle of the city.Here, the audobon society comes to count songbirds, foxes visit, and wayward tomato-eating squirrels are chased off by a mad woman with long curly hair and a snow shovel. ; ) Sometimes, pictures say more than words. Enjoy.

Ok here's some tour items of interest (by now, you know I never stop talking, don't you?): Note the hammock in the shady corner behind the bench, the great use of deep shade but then full sun. Charles Gillette could not have done a nicer job of taking a shared space and creating many pockets and "rooms" out of greenery.